Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments (article from FEMP Focus Special Issue 2006)

February 27, 2006

SUBJECT: Energy and Fuel Conservation by Federal Agencies

Residents of the Gulf Coast States affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have lost loved ones, lost homes, and been displaced from their communities. The Federal Government will continue to assist victims of the hurricanes. Our priority is first to save, sustain, and protect lives and then to restore important infrastructure needed for recovery.

A key component of this Administration's hurricane response plan is to ensure that sufficient supplies of natural gas, gasoline, and diesel fuel are available throughout the country, including in those areas hardest hit by the hurricane, as well as in those areas served by refineries and pipelines originating in the affected areas. Already we have made available oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to refineries that are short on supplies of crude oil, and we will continue to monitor this situation and the use of the SPR. The Department of Energy has deployed personnel and is working with local power companies, local authorities, and State authorities to help get electricity functioning and to ensure the repair and continuity of oil and gas pipelines that may have been affected by power outages. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued temporary fuel waivers under the Clean Air Act, and the Department of Transportation has suspended "hours of service" rules for fuel tanker trucks to make additional supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel available in those areas of the country affected by the hurricane. However, it is important that the Federal Government lead by example and further contribute to the relief effort by reducing its own fuel use during this difficult time.

Therefore, I hereby direct the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to take appropriate actions to conserve natural gas, electricity, gasoline, and diesel fuel to the maximum extent consistent with the effective discharge of public responsibilities. All agencies should conserve fuel so we can reduce overall demand and allow extra supplies to be directed towards the hurricane relief effort. In particular, agencies should temporarily curtail non-essential travel and other activities that use gasoline or diesel fuel, and encourage employees to carpool, telecommute, and use public transportation to reduce fuel use. Federal agencies should also take action to conserve natural gas and electricity during periods of peak consumption by shifting energy-intensive activities to non-peak periods wherever possible and by procuring and using efficient Energy STAR-rated energy intensive appliances and products.

In addition, agencies should review their existing operating and administrative processes and conservation programs and identify and implement ways to reduce overall fuel use. Agencies should report to me, through the Secretary of Energy, within 30 days from the date of this memorandum on the fuel conservation actions taken. Agencies shall take these and other appropriate energy and fuel conservation actions using existing budget authority.